Warning over surge in tractor GPS thefts

Farmers are being told to take steps to protect their machinery after a surge in thefts of tractor global positioning systems (GPS) equipment in the south.

The plea from rural insurer NFU Mutual comes after 24 tractor GPS kits worth more than £130,000 were stolen from West Sussex farms in a recent spate of rural crime.

“Theft of GPS equipment is now a serious problem for farmers,” said NFU Mutual rural affairs specialist Rebecca Davidson.

“Thieves appear to be targeting farms in one locality, and then moving their activity to another area to avoid detection.”

She said many farmers were removing GPS systems, which typically cost more than £10,000 each, when not in use and storing them under lock and key to prevent theft.

“Some tractors now incorporate GPS kit in the cab dashboard,” added Ms Davidson.

“We had hoped that this development would deter thieves – but we are now seeing reports where thieves have smashed dashboards to remove GPS equipment, causing damage costing thousands of pounds to repair as well as the loss of the GPS unit.”

Farmers are also asked to consider fitting security tethers or brackets to stop units being removed, and to mark their postcode on units either with a UV pen or forensic marking system. Other advice includes recording machinery serial numbers and photographing kit to help police identify items and increase the chances of them being recovered.